Congee.
It is a traditional staple food for Chinese people, especially for breakfast.
The character for "congee" first appeared in the Book of Zhou: "The Yellow Emperor began cooking grains to make congee."
The Compendium of Materia Medica quotes the Record of Congee: "Every morning, eat a large bowl of congee. On an empty stomach with weak digestion, the grain energy activates, providing substantial nourishment. Its extremely soft and smooth texture harmonizes with the stomach and intestines, making it the ultimate secret to dietary health."
Therefore.
Congee has always been a medicinal food for nourishment and recuperation.
Medicinal congee, in particular, is based on traditional Chinese medicine theory and is one of the therapeutic methods in Chinese medicine.
...
Using a spoon.
She scooped up a small portion of congee and brought it to her mouth.
Instantly, the congee slowly spread across her tongue.
The textures and flavors of various ingredients blossomed on her God Tongue taste buds like brilliant fireworks.
The brown rice grains were plump and chewy, rubbing between her teeth with a rustic satisfaction.
Mung beans.
Soybeans.
Both were cooked to perfection.
Soft and glutinous while retaining their bean fragrance, melting away with a gentle press of the tongue.
The pumpkin seeds added a touch of unexpected delight to this bowl of congee, each bite revealing tiny grains dancing on the tip of her tongue.
So much so that.
The moment it entered her mouth.
Nakiri Mana immediately felt a warm current flow down her throat, quickly spreading throughout her body.
This energy soon dispelled the gloom and fatigue within her, like a babbling stream nourishing her parched body and soul.
Her frail body gradually began to feel warmth.
Simultaneously.
On her pale face.
A faint blush involuntarily appeared.
...
Each swallow of congee.
Seemed to inject new vitality into her body.
Managi could feel her strength slowly returning, her spirit gradually lifting.
"How miraculous!"
"Using only the most ordinary ingredients, one can create Rainbow Medicinal Congee."
"And the flavor and texture of this congee are simply impeccable."
"It skillfully blends the advantages of various ingredients, forming a unique and harmonious deliciousness."
"No single ingredient's flavor stands out too prominently; no texture feels monotonous or dull; every bite brings a completely new taste experience and surprise!"
Nakiri Mana began to involuntarily lose herself in the wonders of the Rainbow Medicinal Congee.
She forgot her physical weakness.
Forgot life's troubles.
Focusing only on this bowl of energy-filled medicinal congee before her.
She ate slowly, savoring carefully. Nourished by this bowl of congee, Managi rediscovered her passionate, food-pursuing self and regained hope and motivation for life.
...
"Yes!"
"Words like delicious, tasty, want more... how long has it been since they last appeared in my life's dictionary!"
"This bowl of Rainbow Medicinal Congee is simply wonderful."
Finally.
The entire bowl of congee was completely finished by her.
Not even a single speck of rice paste clinging to the bottom of the bowl was spared.
When crushed between her teeth, she could hear a faint "crunch," like the whisper of spring silkworms nibbling on mulberry leaves.
Managi closed her eyes, her throat gently swallowing as she slowly savored this warm feeling of fullness. She repeatedly licked a grain of broken rice from the corner of her mouth with her tongue before finally setting down the ceramic bowl.
Only after a long while did she let out a satisfied, deep sigh.
Leaning back in the chair and closing her eyes, Nakiri Mana quietly felt the continuous stream of power flowing within her body.
...
Gradually.
Mana-sama only felt her body becoming as light as a feather.
Moreover, for some inexplicable reason, she began to feel as if her soul was leaving her body, slowly floating toward the ceiling.
Looking down, she saw that the empty bowl on the dining table had transformed into a hot spring emitting steam, and she was surrounded by a cluster of translucent clouds.
They.
Handed her a cup condensed from dew.
It contained morning mist with the fragrance of osmanthus, along with a rich aroma of congee!
"What's happening?"
"Why are these chaotic images appearing in my mind?"
Suddenly, Nakiri Mana opened her eyes, jolted awake from the illusory scenes.
...
Immediately after.
A gentle breeze began to stir around Nakiri Mana.
At first, the wind was extremely faint, barely causing the bowls and chopsticks on the table to tremble and sway gracefully.
But in an instant.
The wind, as if driven by an invisible force, intensified abruptly.
It swept through recklessly, plunging the entire small restaurant into a sudden storm. Tables and chairs shook, doors and windows creaked, and amidst the tumultuous chaos, everything became unsettled due to this unexpected gale!
"Incredible!"
The strong wind made Anne stagger, nearly losing her balance.
Her eyes wide with astonishment, she exclaimed, overwhelmed by the surging tide of amazement: "Just a single bowl of congee actually made Mana-sama activate the [Impartation Pulse] skill!"
...
At this moment.
Anne's heart remained unsettled for a long time.
She hurriedly turned her gaze toward Ye Chen beside her.
Only to find him calm and composed, as if everything happening before his eyes was merely ordinary and trivial.
It must be noted.
Anne had brought Mana to this small restaurant this time.
With the original intention of using the rare Ingredient Jewel Meat to cure Nakiri Mana's anorexia.
She had fully believed that the highlight of this trip would be the Jewel Meat.
Yet.
Who could have imagined?
Ye Chen's meticulously prepared medicinal congee dish.
Could satisfy Nakiri Mana, who possessed the God Tongue and held extremely stringent standards for gourmet appreciation, to such an extent that it even triggered the miraculous [Impartation Pulse] skill.
"Heavens!"
"All the chefs in the world."
"Throughout their lives, striving with all their might, have never reached such heights, yet Ye Chen accomplished it so effortlessly?"
Anne felt her understanding completely overturned.
Her gaze toward Ye Chen was filled with disbelief and profound respect.
...
Very quickly.
The wind quietly subsided.
The once noisy small restaurant gradually returned to its usual tranquility, as if the earlier commotion had been nothing but a brief and lively dream.
Nakiri Mana slowly emerged from her dazed state of culinary immersion.
Her face radiated satisfaction and contentment, a long-lost, heartfelt joy.
Then.
She slightly raised her head.
Her gaze soft and grateful as she looked at Ye Chen, she said gently: "Thank you, Ye Chen!"
"It has truly been a very, very long time since I last experienced such a genuine feeling of satiety from having my stomach filled with food."
"This feeling is truly..."
"Too wonderful!"
After saying this, the deeply moved Nakiri Mana could no longer hold back the glistening tears welling up in her eyes.
Like scattered pearls from a broken string, they slowly traced paths down her fair and delicate cheeks.
Each tear carried the long-unstirred tenderness and emotion from the depths of her heart, shimmering with a blissful radiance under the warm yellow light.